Huawei Unokubi Zukuri T-10 - Custom Samegawa.
Feb 17, 2016 15:22:46 GMT
Post by renancvlr on Feb 17, 2016 15:22:46 GMT
First of all I would like to say i'm not sponsored, related or work for Huawei and Jacky. I bought this sword with my hard earned money and this review express my true impressions and feelings about the product. Besides I want to apologize in advance if I my english fails, i'm brazilian.
I bought this sword because I wanted something more different/exotic than my other two shinogi zukuris from St. Nihonto (ebay seller), and due to some positive reviews at Huawei I made my choice. Well I had some communications issues, Jacky is a polite guy but the man is hard to get the attention and I noticed it can be quite hard to order complex customizations which was not my case. My only request was a samegawa replacement, the standard sword come with a black one and I ordered a white one.
I made my purchase on Aliexpress and if some of you want to take a look on the sword I'll leave the link below:
pt.aliexpress.com/item/Functional-Unokubi-Zukuri-Hishi-Gami-Iron-Mokko-Tsuba-Shinken-Japanese-Katana/32277647709.html
Vendor descriptions:
"Measurements:
Nagasa/blade length- 71cm
Motohaba- 3.2cm
Motokasane - 0.76cm
Sakihaba - 2.4cm
Sakikasane - 0.5cm
Nakago Length -26.5cm
Sori/curvature - tori sori 1.8cm
Chu kissaki -4.5cm
Tsuka Length - 27.5cm
Mekugi-ana- 2
Description:
Fully functional live blade Shinken Katana "real sword"
Hand Forged,Clay tempered, T10, Water Quenched,DH,Hand polished full length
The edge hardness and resilient blade
Tameshigiri Polish,Visible Natural Prominent Hamon
Unokubi Zukuri
iron tsuba and blacked bass fuchi,kasshira
Full tang,Very tightly alternate & HISHI-GAMI TSUKAMAKI
Bamboo two Mekugi Peg
Authentic black paint same tsuka
Red and black grain Saya
can be disassembled for maintanence
Comes with cotton sword bag"
The sword comes in a simple but nice black cotton bag.
I've ordered a white samegawa instead of a standard black that originally comes, this way is easier to evaluate the samegawa quality and I find more aesthetically pleasing. It is real samegawa with medium to large sized grains and I have to say: I'm surprised! In this price range I was expecting an ugly plastic thing.
The ito is very tight and made in a hishi-gami way, it is synthetic silk with high quality.
The saya is a downside,there's no buffalo horn on koiguchi, kurikata or kojiri and is not fitted well, it have a rattle when I knock and the shitodome is loose, at least locks the sword well and I liked the darkened red theme but Huawei needs to improve this quickly.
The tsuka is very well made with a little "waist", the menukis are made of brass but I like them, they have a sakura flower theme, the fuchi and kashira were made of blackened brass, I like them, they are very detailed.
The tsuba is made of blackened iron, very well made I have to say and is beautiful, have a minimalist and traditional appeal that I find quite attractive, the habaki is tight with no gaps.
The sageo is made of synthetic silk but again, a high quality one, no complains here.
Now the best part of it all: the blade, man I expected a good blade due to some positive reviews at Huawei but nothing like this. The exotic design of the unokubi zukuri is a thing that all of sword lovers have to enjoy in person. About the construction: nothing more than perfection the diagonal bo-hi termination, the transiton in the middle are awesome. Jacky did an amazing job on this.
I've tried to capture the hamon, I've heard before about the positive fame of Huawei hamon and all the gossip is true. this is the most beautiful hamon that I have seen in person. It is simply amazing, I can't find another word to describe this.
Handling and cutting aspects:
The handling is awesome, I was expecting a lighter blade due to the "lacking material" of the unokubi zukuri sugata but I was wrong, it is actually a massive blade. About the cutting: it is razor sharp, cuts paper with only the weight of the blade, fortunately Icant' find any blunt spots on the nagasa.
Final Verdict: The sword is amazing, I have a strange and good sensation that I received more than my money worth, the fittings are awesome, tsuka well made, tight ito and a stunning blade with a striking hamon easily made this my new favorite katana, this is by far superior than my others two St Nihonto.
Pros:
-Fittings well made
-Nice tsuka shape
-High quality samegawa (a sweet surprise at this price range)
-Astonishing hamon
-Awesome blade construction
Cons:
-Saya is poorly made, no buffalo horn
-Communication issues.
I bought this sword because I wanted something more different/exotic than my other two shinogi zukuris from St. Nihonto (ebay seller), and due to some positive reviews at Huawei I made my choice. Well I had some communications issues, Jacky is a polite guy but the man is hard to get the attention and I noticed it can be quite hard to order complex customizations which was not my case. My only request was a samegawa replacement, the standard sword come with a black one and I ordered a white one.
I made my purchase on Aliexpress and if some of you want to take a look on the sword I'll leave the link below:
pt.aliexpress.com/item/Functional-Unokubi-Zukuri-Hishi-Gami-Iron-Mokko-Tsuba-Shinken-Japanese-Katana/32277647709.html
Vendor descriptions:
"Measurements:
Nagasa/blade length- 71cm
Motohaba- 3.2cm
Motokasane - 0.76cm
Sakihaba - 2.4cm
Sakikasane - 0.5cm
Nakago Length -26.5cm
Sori/curvature - tori sori 1.8cm
Chu kissaki -4.5cm
Tsuka Length - 27.5cm
Mekugi-ana- 2
Description:
Fully functional live blade Shinken Katana "real sword"
Hand Forged,Clay tempered, T10, Water Quenched,DH,Hand polished full length
The edge hardness and resilient blade
Tameshigiri Polish,Visible Natural Prominent Hamon
Unokubi Zukuri
iron tsuba and blacked bass fuchi,kasshira
Full tang,Very tightly alternate & HISHI-GAMI TSUKAMAKI
Bamboo two Mekugi Peg
Authentic black paint same tsuka
Red and black grain Saya
can be disassembled for maintanence
Comes with cotton sword bag"
The sword comes in a simple but nice black cotton bag.
I've ordered a white samegawa instead of a standard black that originally comes, this way is easier to evaluate the samegawa quality and I find more aesthetically pleasing. It is real samegawa with medium to large sized grains and I have to say: I'm surprised! In this price range I was expecting an ugly plastic thing.
The ito is very tight and made in a hishi-gami way, it is synthetic silk with high quality.
The saya is a downside,there's no buffalo horn on koiguchi, kurikata or kojiri and is not fitted well, it have a rattle when I knock and the shitodome is loose, at least locks the sword well and I liked the darkened red theme but Huawei needs to improve this quickly.
The tsuka is very well made with a little "waist", the menukis are made of brass but I like them, they have a sakura flower theme, the fuchi and kashira were made of blackened brass, I like them, they are very detailed.
The tsuba is made of blackened iron, very well made I have to say and is beautiful, have a minimalist and traditional appeal that I find quite attractive, the habaki is tight with no gaps.
The sageo is made of synthetic silk but again, a high quality one, no complains here.
Now the best part of it all: the blade, man I expected a good blade due to some positive reviews at Huawei but nothing like this. The exotic design of the unokubi zukuri is a thing that all of sword lovers have to enjoy in person. About the construction: nothing more than perfection the diagonal bo-hi termination, the transiton in the middle are awesome. Jacky did an amazing job on this.
I've tried to capture the hamon, I've heard before about the positive fame of Huawei hamon and all the gossip is true. this is the most beautiful hamon that I have seen in person. It is simply amazing, I can't find another word to describe this.
Handling and cutting aspects:
The handling is awesome, I was expecting a lighter blade due to the "lacking material" of the unokubi zukuri sugata but I was wrong, it is actually a massive blade. About the cutting: it is razor sharp, cuts paper with only the weight of the blade, fortunately Icant' find any blunt spots on the nagasa.
Final Verdict: The sword is amazing, I have a strange and good sensation that I received more than my money worth, the fittings are awesome, tsuka well made, tight ito and a stunning blade with a striking hamon easily made this my new favorite katana, this is by far superior than my others two St Nihonto.
Pros:
-Fittings well made
-Nice tsuka shape
-High quality samegawa (a sweet surprise at this price range)
-Astonishing hamon
-Awesome blade construction
Cons:
-Saya is poorly made, no buffalo horn
-Communication issues.